Both Z-Mart and Staff Zone, at 24 Lafayette Street and 20 Lafayette Street respectively, have been declared public nuisances in temporary injunctions and padlocking orders issued by Criminal Court Judge Steve Dozier. The injunctions direct the police department to shut down the businesses and prohibit the owner of the properties, Husni Hassan, Z-Mart managers, Staff Zone managers, and anyone else from going into the buildings until a hearing is held in the coming days.
Here’s the undercover operations that lead to today’s service of 3 outstanding arrest warrants for Z-Mart Employee Fahir Z. Mohammed, and contributed to the padlocking of the store.
Over the past several months, MNPD has received information fromsources that Z-Mart would receive stolen property by purchasing items presented to them as having been stolen from other establishments. Detectives conducted numerous undercover operations utilizing both a Confidential Informant and undercover detectives. The following are descriptions of the undercover operations:
Undercover Operation #1
On 11/28/2017, a Metro Nashville Police Department Confidential Informant (MNPD C.I.) went to Z-Mart to sell products to the clerk/owner of the store with the clerk believing the product was gained by illegal means. The C.I. advised stolen items were sold to store personnel before, with the store personnel believing the product was stolen. The C.I. took the following products into the store:
- (4) Gain Scent Boosters
- (6) Febreeze Scent Plug Refills
- (3) Febreeze starter scent plug
- (4) Tide Pods
The C.I. spoke to a store clerk and he agreed to buy the product from the C.I. for $20.00 along with a pair of black earrings from an earring display rack. The C.I. told the clerk “crack heads” will steal anything the C.I. asks for. The C.I. asked the clerk what he needed, and the clerk asked the C.I. to bring him a Dyson Vacuum Cleaner. The clerk put some of the products onto the store shelf to be sold after the purchase, while the C.I. was still in the store. The C.I. asked another store employee what he needed and the employee asked for a Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Cell phone, for which he would pay $150.00. The C.I. told the clerk it would take a couple days to get the phone.
Undercover Operation #2
On 12/01/2017, as part of an ongoing investigation, an MNPD C.I. went to Z-Mart along with a detective (U.C.) working in an undercover capacity to sell products to the clerk / owner of the store with the clerk believing the product was gained by illegal means. The C.I. took the following listed products along with a Dyson Vacuum Cleaner which was requested during an earlier store visit (2017-1043318). The following products were taken to the store:
- (3) Cartons of Newport 100 Cigarettes
- (2) Cartons of Newport Gold Cigarettes
- (5) Cases of Red Bull Energy Drink
The suspect agreed to buy the products for $130.00 and would buy the Dyson Vacuum Cleaner for $100.00. The suspect was under the impression the product was gained by illegal means from a Target store by “filling up a buggy and pushing it out.” This incident occurred at 24 Lafayette Street. The suspect was identified by MNPD detectives as Fahir Z. Mohammed, date of birth 01/06/1976.
Undercover Operation #3
On 12/06/2017, as part of an ongoing investigation, an MNPD C.I. went to the Z MART along with a U.C. to sell products to the clerk / owner of the store, with the clerk believing the product was gained by illegal means. The C.I. took the following listed products to be sold:
- (3) Cartons of Huggies Diapers
The C.I. also took cartons of cigarettes and Red Bull Energy Drinks to sell to the clerk, but the clerk stated he couldn’t buy the product at the time, due to vendors questioning the additional product on the shelves. The clerk stated they would buy the cigarettes at a later date. This incident occurred at 24 Lafayette Street.
Undercover Operation #4
On 01/24/2018, as part of an ongoing investigation an MNPD U.C. went to the Z MART to sell products to the clerk / owner of the store, with the clerk believing the product was gained by illegal means. The U.C. took the following listed products to be sold:
- (5) Febreze Scent Plugs
- (10) Packages of Febreze Plug-In Refills
- (3) Airwick Life Scent Spray
The suspect agreed to buy the product for $23.00. The suspect went to the U.C.’s vehicle in the parking lot with a trash bag from inside the store and placed the product into the bag. The U.C. told the suspect the product was taken from a warehouse, and they can get him whatever he wants. The suspect has bought items from the U.C. before with the suspect believing the product was stolen.
Undercover Operation #5
On 01/31/2018, as part of an ongoing investigation, an MNPD U.C. went to the Z MART to sell products to the clerk / owner of the store, with the clerk believing the product was gained by illegal means. The U.C. has sold items to this suspect before. The C.I. took the following listed products to be sold:
- (4) Packs of Duracell AA batteries
- (13) Cartons of Newport Cigarettes
- (3) Bottles of laundry booster
- (3) Cases of Red Bull Energy Drink
- (2) Cases of Monster Energy Drink
The suspect agreed to buy the products for $75.00 and took the product from the U.C.’s vehicle, then places it in his vehicle in the parking lot. The vehicle is a silver Toyota Corolla with a Tennessee license plate of 2H17W9. The tag is listed to the suspect but is listed to a 2007 black Honda UAX. The U.C. tells the suspect they have a guy who can get any items the suspect wants from a warehouse. The suspect has bought items from the U.C. before with the suspect believing the product was stolen. The suspect was identified by MNPD detectives as Fahir Z. Mohammed, date of birth 01/06/1976.
Undercover Operation #6
On 01/31/2018, as part of an ongoing investigation, an MNPD U.C. went to the Z MART to sell products to the clerk / owner of the store, with the clerk believing the product was gained by illegal means. The U.C. has sold items to this suspect before. The U.C. took the following listed product to be sold:
- (4) Containers of Windex Glass Cleaner
- (12) Cartons of Newport Cigarettes
- (9) Boxes of Swiffer WetJet Floor Cleaner
- (20) containers of Armor All Cleaner
- (6) bottles of transmission fluid
- (3) boxes of Bounce Dryer Sheets
- (8) bottles of Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
- (2) bottles of Clorox Bleach
- (3) cans of WD-40 Lubricant
- (5) bottles of lotion
- (2) jars of hair mayonnaise
- (2) bottles of Dial Body Wash
- (2) jars of Eucerin lotion
- (2) bottles of Raid Ant & Roach Spray
- (8) Febreze car air freshener refills
- (2) bottles of bathroom scrubbing bubbles
- (2) boxes of Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleanser
- (5) bottles of Lysol Cleaner
- (1) Bissell Swiffer
- (16) boxes of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
The suspect agreed to buy the product for $200.00 and takes the product from the U.C.’s vehicle and places it in his vehicle in the parking lot. The vehicle is a silver Toyota Corolla with a Tennessee license plate of 2H17W9. The license plate is listed to the suspect but is listed to a 2007 black Honda UAX. The U.C. asked the suspect what products he needs and the suspect stated he wants cigarettes. When the U.C. asked how many he needs, the suspect stated he will take any amount. The suspect told the U.C. if they can get him 1000’s of cartons of cigarettes, he’ll buy them. The suspect was identified by MNPD detectives as Fahir Z. Mohammed, date of birth 01/06/1976.
Fahir Mohammed was arrested today at Z-Mart on three outstanding theft warrants related to the undercover investigations. His bond is set at $3,000.
Kroger’s Organized Retail Crime Unit was of significant assistance in this segment of the investigation and provided the products that were fronted as being stolen.
